Four points of the same star
DISCLAIMER:I do not own Detective Conan .
FOUR POINTS OF THE SAME STAR
Chapter 8
Ryu's story
Ryu slowly opened his eyes. As he found himself staring at a foreign ceiling, he wondered where he was. He was lying on a couch with a wet cloth on his forehead. He tried to remember what had happened.
'Let's see, I was taking home that two kids.. Conan and Ai.. since it was raining.' he thought, 'But when we came to Ai's house, my head was pounding and the fever had risen. And then? Oh yes, I went inside with them and an old man greeted us. He saw that we were soaked so he called someone to bring a few towels. Then a girl came down and ...'
He sat up quickly, remembering who he had seen. He instantly clutched his head: the ache hadn't still passed.
"Don't get up. You're still weak."
Ryu turned around in the darkness and saw the girl, sitting by the window. His eyes widened.
"Rei?" he exclaimed.
"Yes, it's me." she replied with a smile and approached him. "How are you feeling, Ryu?" There was a hint of concern in her tone, "You fainted a few hours ago. Your temperature was pretty high."
But the boy didn't answer. He only kept staring at her.
She was really there. She was not a dream or an illusion created by the fever.
Rei was there and..
She was alive.
"Rei." he said again, trying to stand up, "You.. what are you..?"
He couldn't say or do anything more because the girl stopped him.
"I told you not to get up. You're still weak." she said, forcing to sit down and reached for his forehead with her hand, "Well, the fever has lowered but I think you should rest another bit."
Ryu was glad that his face was still flushed with fever. Rei was so close to him that he felt heat rising on his face.
"All right." he said, pulling back and hoping that the blush on his face wasn't too visible. "I didn't have a great idea to take that two kids under the rain, did I?" He smiled at her.
"Really a great idea! Conan and Ai told me that you already felt sick but didn't give it great importance and walked under the rain." she replied and smiled slightly. "It's typical of your character: you always think of others before yourself. They also told me about your heroic saving."
"By the way, where are those kids? Are they all right?"
"Yes, they're fine and they are asleep now: it's three in the morning."
"What? It's so late? Why aren't you sleeping?"
Rei shot him a smile that made his heart melt.
"I was worried for you." she replied, "So, I told Conan, Ai and Agase to go to sleep while I stayed here in case you needed something."
"Thanks." he mumbled in embarrassment. It was nice to feel cared by someone.. especially by her. Then he remembered what he had meant to ask ever since he saw her again.
"Rei? Listen, I read the American papers a few weeks ago and there was.."
But he was stopped again. By a finger on his lips. Rei's slender finger.
"Shh... I will explain you everything later. Not now: it isn't the right moment." she said softly. "You have to rest. By the way, you've got plenty to tell, too. I've also promised the others that we would wait for them."
"The others?" he questionned.
"Yes, Agase, Conan and Ai."
"What? They know?"
"They are involved in MYSTERY. Especially, Conan and Ai."
"But they are children! How can they be involved?"
"Let's say that they are not what they seem." she said, smiling slightly.
Ryu clutched his head with a hand.
"You're only confusing me." he remarked.
"Come on, another few hours of sleep and you'll be good as new." she said, "Goodnight, then."
"Hey, wait.. I've got one last question." he remarked. Rei arched an eyebrow. "I swear that it's the last one. I'll go to sleep staight forward after that.. Ok?" He smiled in that special way that made Rei melt. She only nodded in reply.
"Why are you here in Japan?" he asked, "I thought you were.. in America." He paused and stared at her. "I thought you were dead."
Rei held her gaze, boring into his ice blue eyes. He must have been worried just like the Kudos.
"I came to look for you." she replied, "But... it's a long story. There's a lot to explain."
Ryu felt her hesitation and knew that whatever had happened must have very serious to force her to put up a stunt such as her death. He decided not to press on further.
"Ok, you'll tell me later." he said.
He then noticed that he had different clothes. He shot Rei a quizzical look, pointing to the blue jeans and black T-shirt that he was wearing.
"Oh, Shinichi lent you some of his clothes." she said, "Yours were soaked."
"Shinichi? You mean your friend Shinichi Kudo?" he asked in surprise, "When can I meet him? You always said that he's a great detective: he could help us."
Rei smirked.
"You already met him."she said.
"What?" he asked in confusion. Then, a sudden thought struck him and he stared at the clothes. Rei blushed guessing his thoughts.
"Don't worry." she remarked, "Agase changed you."
Ryu blushed a little.
"You know me too well." he stated.
She laughed slightly.
"Come on, you've got to sleep."
"All right, see you tomorrow morning then."
"Ok, goodnight."
She was going to leave the room when she heard him call her.
"Rei?"
"Yes?" she said, turning around.
"It's good to see you again."
She didn't expect him to say something like that: it touched her deeply inside. She smiled broadly.
"It's good to see you too, Ryu. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Ran was in her bed, trying to go to sleep.
She could hear the thunders rumbling outside and the rain drops pounding against her window.
'I wish Conan-kun was here.' she thought, 'Storms make me feel uneasy.'
The little boy had called before dinner, saying that he was going to sleep over at Agase's house because of the storm. She had offered to come and pick him up but he said that he said that it wasn't necessary.
"I don't want you to catch a cold because of me, Ran-neechan. And I'm very tired: we've been out the whole day. I'll go straight to bed."
Ran smiled remembering the little boy's words. He was very protective with her. She sometimes felt as their roles were switched: he was the eldest and she the little one.
However, she had noticed that, in the last weeks, Conan spent a lot of time at Agase's house. Yes, he was his relative but he never went their everyday.
'I wonder if he's hiding something.' she thought, but quickly shook her head. 'Oh, I'm getting paranoid! I can't confuse Conan with Shinichi. He's only staying with Agase because of the rain and he also called because he didn't want me to worry. Shinichi should take him as an example. He called me months ago and talked for less than two minutes!'
Ran looked outside at the pouring rain for a few seconds.
'He and his cases!' she thought angrily.
And with this, she went to sleep.
It was hardly eight in the morning but nearly everyone was up already. Conan, Ai, Rei and Ryu were having breakfast together.
Nobody was speaking. Each of them had many questions but they knew that the answers would have come later so it was useless to think of it at the moment. They just ate silently.
Agase had just got up and was going downstairs to have breakfast. The four looked up as he entered the kitchen.
"Good morning!" he said cheerfully.
"Good morning, Agase." the four replied.
"Everybody slept well?" he asked and without waiting the reply, he turned to Ryu, "Are you feeling better? I gave you a medicine for the cold last night and it should have made effect."
"Yes, I'm fine, thanks." Ryu replied, smiling, "Never felt better."
Conan got up and pointed to the living room.
"I think we could start to.. talk." he said, "There are a lot of things that need explanations."
Rei and Ryu got up, immediately. Ai poured some coffee for Agase and, unconsciously, brushed her hair out of her eyes with her left hand as she stood up.
This simple gesture hit Ryu, who happened to be watching her.
'I'm sure I've... I've seen someone do like that with the hair.. yes, like that girl... in the lab..' he thought, 'What if..?'
They all went to the living room and sat down. It was a strange sight. Everyone was waiting for someone to start to speak. At last, Ryu broke the silence.
"Well, I think that I should be the first." he said, "I don't know how much Rei has told you but... let's start from the beginning. My name.. my real name. is Ryuji Kazama and I'm a FBI agent."
"Ryu, I've already given them a general idea of MYSTERY." Rei remarked, "And I've also told them all I know. I. .we.. would like to know what has happened to you."
"I'll answer to all your questions." he said and turned to Conan and Ai, "But, first, tell me who you two are. Rei said that you are not what you seem and I'd like to know how you got involved in this case. Or should I say mess."
Conan looked up.
"I'm Shinichi Kudo." he said, "And I'm in this condition because two men of the Organisation that I've been spying have forced me to take a strange pill that, as you can see, has shrunk me to a seven-year old kid."
Ryu blinked. Twice. This little kid was actually seventeen like him? He turned to Rei as though waiting for her to laugh out, saying that it was all a joke but she nodded at him. There wasn't a trace of hilarity in her eyes.
Wondering fleetingly of what else he would have to hear, he turned to boy.
"We meet at last, Shinichi Kudo." he said, holding out a hand," Rei has always spoken very highly of you and your skills. Pleased to meet you."
Conan shook his hand with a smile.
"Pleased to meet you too, Kazama."
Ryu now turned to Ai.
"I suppose your story's not very different from his, right?" he asked.
Ai shook her head.
"Yes and no." she replied. "I was a member of the Black Organisation where I worked as a scientist, chemist to be exact. My work was to create a poison called tested it on Kudo but for some unknown reason, it didn't have it's deadly effect. I am here because I betrayed them. They killed my sister and when I threatened to stop my experiments on the poison, they, in reply, handcuffed me to the tubes of a gas chamber, sentencing me to death for insubordination. I didn't want them to kill me, so I decided to do it myself and took my own poison but, ironically, my own creation betrayed me and it just shrunk me. I managed to escape and came here because it was the only place I knew in this city. My real name is Shiho Miyano."
Ryu's eyes widened. Two things had hit him: the name Miyano and the fact that she was a scientist of the Organisation.
'Could she really be..?' he thought, eyes fixed on the girl.
"Listen, were you operative here in Japan... let's say more or less a year ago?" he asked out of the blue.
Arching an eyebrow slightly at the sudden question, Ai just nodded in answer.
"Did you work in a lab in...-ah, I don't remember the area..but it was around Tokyo." As the girl nodded again, this time with more suspicion than surprise, Ryu's suspicions grew stronger. "Are you... Sherry?"
Ai looked up in genuine surprise. How did he know her code name? Their stares met and she looked straight into his eyes... his light blue eyes. And in that very moment, she remembered where she had seen him.
"Martini..?" she asked uncertainly.
"Yes." he said with a small smile,
"Martini?" Rei repeated, turning to Ryu, "Was that your code-name?"
"Yes, I chose the name of the first alcoholic drink that came in my mind." he answered quickly and turned back to Ai. "Then it's really you. I have to admit that you're the last person I would have ever expected to see, Sherry."
"You two know each other?" Agase asked with curiousity.
"We met once, nearly a year ago when they sent me here in Japan for a work." Ryu replied.
"Work?" Conan repeated, "What work did you do?"
"Yes, you never told what you did in the Organisation." Rei added.
"Not to mention how you entered it." Ai said.
Ryu looked at them: he was a bit doubtful whether to tell them everything. It would have revealed the truth of his past.. all the truth. His family, his pain and, most important of all, his plan. But they were involved too...
'They have the right to know what I know.' he thought.
"All right, I'll explain you everything but it's a pretty long story." he said.
The others nodded and he began.
-:-
"Everything started five years ago, after that our family moved to the States. You see, my father was an engineer specialized in microelectronics."
"Micro-what?" Conan asked.
"Microelectronics." Ryu said with a small smile, seeing the other boy's blank look, "It's the technology that deals with electronic systems utilizing extremely small elements. Well, Father was working on a project that interested very much the police forces. He was developing special bugging devices that were practically invisible. They could be applied to objects without being detected by machines, like metal detectors and also on people that couldn't notice them because extremely small."
"Yes, I've heard of a scientist that was working on a project like that." Agase said thoughtfully, "If I'm not mistaken his name was.. Misaki Kazama. Yes, a very skilled and young man too. He was hardly thirty when he exposed his project. I remember that an American company offered to back him and he went abroad with his family. The last thing I heard about him was that he died in a fire with his wife and child." Hakase paused abruptly as his last few words sank in and he quickly turned to Ryu with a apologetic look. "Sorry, I didn't .."
"Don't worry, Agase." the boy stopped him, "You only said the truth. Did you know my father?"
"Not well. We met a few times in some scientific lecture. He always came with his wife, a very pretty foreign woman. Always polite and gentle with everyone. Both of them."
Ryu smiled.
"Thanks." he said softly.
Rei glanced at him. Agase's praises on his parents must have made him feel proud but, at the same time, she was sure he felt a deep pain. It was like a wound that didn't heal perfectly and began to hurt every time you touched it. She knew very well how it felt. Ai knew it too. The girls didn't say anything but just looked away, lost in their thoughts.
Conan noticed the strange atmosphere and decided to change subject.
"Kazama, were there other people interested for your father's work?" he asked.
Ryu looked up and nodded. He had understood his attempt to help him.
"Yes, there were." he replied, "They were interested. They didn't want the authorities to have the devices because it could have been disadvantageous for them. You can imagine the reason.." The others nodded. "That's why they tried to pull Father on their side: if he gave them the devices, their activities would have bettered and the police wouldn't have been able to stop them. They tried to corrupt him but he refused and then.." Ryu stopped and gritted his teeth.
Rei stopped him. She knew what had happened. He had told her this once and she could never forget his painful look.
"Ryu, you don't have to tell us if you don't want." she said gently but he shook his head.
"It's all right, Rei." he said with a small smile, "It's the only way to explain.. the rest.
As Agase said before, a company offered to back my father's project, so we moved to Washington. Father set to work immediately and my mother found a job as a music teacher. You know, she was a French musician. In the meanwhile, my sister and I moved to our new schools."
Ai looked up.
"You have a sister?" she asked.
"Yes..", Ryu sad, smiling tenderly. "Her name.. was Françoise and she was five years younger than me." He looked down at Ai, "You look a lot like her."
"So, that's why you were so surprised when Ayumi said that we seemed brother and sister."
"I hoped nobody would have noticed." Ryu mumbled a bit embarrassed and both Rei and Ai smiled. Conan, on the other hand, felt that strange twitch in the stomach again, seeing Ai smile to Ryu.
"We were living there for more than a year and Father's project was going to be ultimated. I think that the Organisation contacted him in that period: he was deciding when to present his work. But he must have refused to be corrupted or do anything illegal so... so they decided to get rid him and destroy his work."
Ryu took a deep breath and recalled the memories that had cancelled the happy childhood he had had and made him orphan and alone.
"One night, a man got in our house. Françoise and I were already asleep but my parents were still awake. Father had become very uneasy. I think that it was the period after his refusal to give his project to the Organisation. I remember that he had also bought a gun; it was as though he knew that they would have come. That man... he sneaked in our house and killed my parents. He was a professional, not a common burglar. My father didn't even have the time to point his gun."
"Kazama-kun, how do you know this?" Agase asked, "You said you were sleeping."
"That night I woke up with a jolt, without a reason and feeling worried." he replied." I went downstairs, careful not to make noise and wake someone. But... when I was going upstairs again, I heard a strange noise, a muffled thud, coming from my father's studio. The door was half-open and I..I saw.. everything.
A man dressed in black with a gun in his hand while my mother and my father were lying on the floor. There was blood on their chests... That man hadn't noticed me because he left immediately after through the studio's back door. I waited a few minutes and then slid inside the studio. I was going to see if my parents were still alive when I heard Françoise scream.
My heart stopped. I thought that the man had come back to finish his job and kill us too; maybe, he noticed that we were there. I ran upstairs and saw that the first floor was on fire... That man had probably put the fire to make my parents' death seem an accident.
I ran to my sister's room but the roof beam's had fallen down. I couldn't get in and she couldn't get out. I..I couldn't do anything: I could only see her there, trembling with fear on her bed, calling me, pleading me to help her. I tried to get in but without success. I fainted a few minutes later because of the smoke. The neighbours must have seen the fire and called the firemen to put it out.
When I came around, I was in a hospital room.
I was the only one that had survived. Fr... Françoise had died of suffocation. My parents had died instantly for the gun shots."
Ryu stopped talking. Something raw and hot was travelling up his throat; the pain was becoming unbearable as all those terrible memories came back to his mind once again.
'Get a grip!' he inwardly shouted to himself.
Conan, Ai and Agase didn't say a word. They didn't know what to say because his grief was too big and they couldn't understand the depth of his pain.
Rei knew that words were useless, so she only put her hand on top of his. Their eyes met and she smiled slightly. It was smile full of encouragement but also of understanding. He smiled back, appreciating her silent solidarity.
"My father had a good friend in America who worked in FBI." Ryu started his story again, "His name's Mark Xanders and he adopted me and took me with him to New York. He feared that who killed my parents could want me too, so I changed surname and became Ryuji Xanders. His wife was Japanese, so he could say that I was a relative. The police started to investigate on my family's death and a few months later, they closed the case saying it had been a simple housebreaking. They said that the thief got caught red-handed by my parents, he killed them and then set the house on fire to put the police of the scent." Ryu laughed bitterly, "They didn't even consider my evidence."
"Why not?" Agase asked.
"I don't know how exactly but I think that somebody covered up the case. At least, that's what Mr. Xanders and I think." he replied, "As soon as I moved to New York and settled down at the Xanders' place, I began to work out a plan in my mind."
"A plan?" Conan and Ai said together.
Ryu looked at them. They saw a glint of firmness in his eyes.
"Yes, a plan. I know that it sounds ridiculous that a twelve year old boy could think of it but I decided to find out the truth myself and I wanted to find it quickly. I began to study hard and managed to finish high school quickly and I entered university and attended electronic and mechanical engineering. I graduated after a year and a half and all of this happened when I was hardly sixteen. Then I joined FBI and I also attended a course with the bomb disposal experts. At this point, I considered my preparation partially satisfying."
"Partially?" Conan remarked dumbfounded. "What kind of plan did you have in your mind?"
Ryu smiled slightly.
"I divided my plan in two stages, roughly speaking." he said, "During the first one, I had to achieve a determined series of qualities. First a qualified education and then, a great preparation that would have allowed me to enter FBI . In the second part, I would have started to investigate. I actually thought that I'd have to do everything alone but I got some help."
"Who else helped you?" Agase asked.
"Matt wanted to help me. He did so much to be useful to me and help me. He graduated in law and entered into FBI with me." A smile found it's way on Ryu's face as he talked about his friend and foster brother. "He said that we had more chances to find out something if we were in two and Mr. Xanders, being chief inspector, helped me.. us.. . He pointed out all the cases that he thought were suspicious or strange."
"Wait a minute." Conan asked, "You already knew that the Organisation was behind your family's death?"
"No, I didn't know that." Ryu replied, "We just looked for old and new cases that could have some details in common with my case. The first time I heard about the Organisation was when.." He stopped and turned to Ai. "Well, when I met Akemi Miyano."
Ai looked at him but didn't speak or move.
Rei, on the other hand, seemed to have understood Ai's doubts: she wanted to know what her sister had said, what her exact words had been but with all of them around..
'She doesn't know how to start with all of us here.' she thought, 'Maybe, I can help her a bit.'
She got up quickly and turned to Agase.
"Professor, don't you think we should get lunch ready?" she asked, "I know it's only half past twelve but we have so much to talk about and a break wouldn't be so bad after all. What do you think?"
The old scientist looked at her and nodded, getting up. Rei then turned to Conan.
"Shinichi, don't you think you should call Mouri-san?" she remarked, "She's probably worried for you."
"Uhm.. ok. I'll do it later, after lunch." he replied but Rei urged him.
"I think it's better if you do it now. You wouldn't want to miss something when we start again, would you?"
Conan looked at the girl with a strange expression, wondering what the hell was wrong with her but nevertheless he stood up and went to the telephone.
'Why is she forcing me to go and speak to Ran?' he thought, 'What's she up to?'
Ryu got up too.
"Don't you think someone should go and help Agase?" he asked but Rei quickly stopped him.
"Don't worry, I'll go and help him." she said, "You just stay here and wait." She turned around and bent down to Ai, lowering her voice till it was a soft whisper. "I think I can hold them out for no more than ten minutes: I hope it will be enough for you."
Ai looked at her in surprise and gave her a thankful smile. Rei just winked at her and left the room.
Ryu had understood what was going on and as soon as he saw Rei leave, he turned to Ai.
"Do you want to talk to me?" he asked, "That would explain why Rei chased the others away."
The girl nodded.
"I would like to know how you met my sister and what she told you." she said, "Rei only told us what she knew."
Ryu looked at her for a couple of moments.
"All right..." he said with a nod, "It was nearly a year and a half ago.."
-:-
Conan had just called Ran and had invented a story to stay at Professor's house all evening.
'Ran made me swear to come home for dinner.' he thought, 'I'd better be there or she'll get mad.'
Shuddering at the thought of what a mad Ran could do to him if he didn't obey, he headed to the living room. He had hardly put a foot in the room that someone grabbed him from behind, putting a hand over his mouth, and pulled him out of the way.
'What the..?' he thought as he was dragged away.
"Shinichi, you can't go in."
The whisper reached him when he had twisted around to see who his aggressor was. Conan found himself facing Rei. He would have shouted at her if her hand wasn't still over his mouth. The only thing that came out was a strange, muffled sound.
"Don't shout and don't talk loudly, please. Ok?" she said softly.
He nodded and she removed her hand from his mouth.
"What was that for?" he asked with irritation.
"You can't go in at the moment."
"Why not?"
"Ai and Ryu are talking. It's better if we don't disturb them."
Hearing this, Conan felt that strange, annoying twitch in his stomach again and he frowned slightly.
"What are they talking about?" he asked.
"Don't you guess?"
"No."
"Ryu's the only one that has talked with Ai's sister in USA. She probably wants to know what they talked about, what were her exact words.."
"Couldn't she ask him while we were there?"
Rei shot him an exasperated look.
"Gods, Niichan, you are really clueless sometimes."
"You're talking like Haibara." Conan stated with annoyance, making the girl smirk.
"By the way..." Rei said, turning sober. "I think that Ai feels guilty for her sister's death and I'm sure that if she talks with Ryu, she'll be able to go over this moment."
"How do you know this?" Conan asked with surprise, "Did she tell you?"
"No, Ai didn't tell me anything." she replied, shaking her head, "I noticed it on my own. I saw the sorrow in her eyes when I talked about Miyano-san last time and also when she asked me if I had talked with her."
"So that's why you chased Agase and me out?"
"Glad to see you're catching up.. Yes, I wanted to help her. I... I know very well what it means to feel guilty to be alive when someone you loved died."
Conan looked up at her and saw a sad glint in her eyes.
"You think Kazama will help her feel better?" he asked softly.
"Yes, at least, I hope so. Ryu felt guilty to be alive, too. Maybe, if they talk a bit, they'll be able to see that those tragedies weren't their fault."
Just then, Ryu's voice reached them.
Conan and Rei looked at each other and silently placed themselves at the side of the door.
Two boys were walking down the crowded streets of New York.
"Matt, why didn't we take the car?" the blonde asked, "We could have gone there in a few minutes."
"Few minutes? Are you mad? We're in New York, Ryu." the black-haired boy replied, "If we took the car we would have been stuck in the traffic for hours. We can make it in half the time if we walk." He then smiled teasingly. "Why? Don't you like walking?"
The other frowned a bit.
"It's not like that.. I just feel uncomfortable when... some... they... " he mumbled embaressedly, "Look and turn around at me.. smiling." He looked up at his brother. "I don't understand how you can be so calm and cool."
Matt chuckled. Ryu always felt uneasy when girls paid attention to him.
"You should be used to it by now." he remarked as they turned a corner, "Come on, man You were the most popular during high school and university and even FBI training. Girls just swarmed around you: the youngest student. Your charm does make good impression on everyone, Ryu."
The blonde boy blushed slightly.
"Well, you were popular too." he stated.
"Yes and I manage to control myself: I don't start going red every time a girl smiles me."
"I don't get red every time.."
"Sorry, I made a mistake." Matt corrected himself, "You get embarrassed when girls smile and you turn red when Rei smiles."
Ryu's face turned to the shade of a ripe tomato. Knowing that any further discussion on the subject would just make Matt win, he quickly changed topic.
"By the way, why did you want to come with me?" he asked.
Matt turned serious instantly.
"We don't who sent you that message." he said, "For all we know, it could be someone involved with your parents' case and that has decided to finish the job: get rid of you. If we're in two maybe we can get through it unharmed."
Ryu smiled. Matt knew every detail of his past and had always been keen to help him. He was a real friend, one that you would pay to have by your side.
He put his hand in his pocket and retrieved the small piece of paper that was the reason of this afternoon walk. He scanned the message with his eyes again, trying to see if he could find a detail that he might have missed before.
To Ryuji Xanders
I would like to talk to you about a particular case that I would like you to work on. If you accept my request, please come to the bar next to the university. I will be waiting for you there.
Akemi Miyano
"You don't know this.. Akemi Miyano, do you?" Matt asked, peering over to read the message.
"No, I don't. I would remember her." he replied, "She's Japanese and the only ones from Japan that I've met here are you, your mother and Rei." Ryu frowned. "But I don't understand.. How does she know that I'm an FBI agent? Why did she choose me to investigate and not another more experienced agent? Or a detective? And how does she know me in first place? The message was in my mail."
"Well, these could be the first things you can ask her." Matt said, "This is the place."
The two boys stopped in front of the bar where they often stopped after courses at college. There were many people inside, mainly students.
"How the hell are we going to recognize her?" Matt wondered while Ryu looked around. Suddenly, he saw a young woman standing up from a corner table and waving to him.
"Hey, Matt." he said, touching his shoulder, "Down there."
The boys went towards the woman's table.
"Excuse me, are you Akemi Miyano?" Ryu asked.
The woman smiled and nodded.
"Yes, it's me. I was waiting you, Ryuji Xanders." she said and turned to Matt, "And you are..?"
"Matt Xanders, pleased to meet you." he said with a curt nod
"I'm sorry but I wanted to talk with Ryuji-san alone." she said apologetically.
Matt turned to Ryu, who nodded reassuringly. The woman didn't seem dangerous.
The dark-haired boy nodded back.
"It's not a problem." he said with a small smile to the woman, "I'll wait outside."
As soon as Matt left, Ryu sat down. A waiter approached their table and the two ordered
"Miyano-san, what do you want to tell me?" Ryu asked, as they waited for their coffees to arrive.
Akemi looked at him straight in the eyes and he felt himself blush. She looked a lot like Rei. If the girl had ever had a sister, it would be this woman for sure.
"Can I ask you a question before?" she asked softly.
Ryu nodded with a sense light nervousness that he couldn't explain.
"You are.. Ryuji Kazama, right?"
Ryu felt a cold shiver run down his spine.
It had been more than four years that someone had called him with his real name. He felt as though it was referred to another person and not to himself.
"How do you know that?" he asked coldly, wondering if he hadn't been a bit too naif to stay alone with a woman that he didn't know. And that knew too much of him for his own taste.
The waiter brought their orders and left after a couple of moments. In the meantime, Ryu's eyes never left Akemi. Who was she? How did he know him? All sorts of questions ran through his mind. Understanding his inner thoughts, Akemi looked at him and smiled.
"Don't worry. I don't want to harm you." she said calmly. Her features changed into a more serious expression. "But I want to be sure that you're the person that I'm looking for."
-:-
"You know, it was strange.." Ryu said looking at Ai, "I had never seen your sister before but I couldn't help trusting her. And, believe me, I don't trust people easily."
"Why?" she asked with slight surprise. He seemed to be a very trusting person.
"After my parents' murder and my sister's death, I began to lock my emotions and feelings inside myself. I didn't trust people and I didn't want to depend on anyone. I..I didn't want to suffer anymore. But it wasn't so simple. When I got adopted, the Xanders accepted me warmly. They have loved me as another son and Matt has always treated me as a brother. I didn't want... couldn't hurt them. I just couldn't.
So, I decided to change completely. I decided to become Ryuji Xanders and buried whatever was left of Ryuji Kazama deep inside myself. It was like wearing a mask basically.. but it was the only way to please my new family."
"Yes, but... you were acting. Pretending to be another person." Ai remarked slowly, "You were never yourself."
Ryu looked at her with a strange expression on his face.
"You know, to tell the truth, I didn't mind pretending. I had lost my family, lost my house and I had changed my name. I thought that if I changed my character and personality, I would have only completed the process. I thought that it would have been like starting again.
His tone was so bitter that Ai couldn't say anything.
'He has suffered a lot...' she thought, 'Even more than me.'
Silence reigned in the room for a few minutes until Ryu took a deep breath and looked back at Ai.
"However, back to your sister.."
-:-
"Yes." he said slowly, "I'm Ryuji Kazama, but how do you know that?"
"I did a research on you." Akemi answered, "I heard of your ability in investigations by a friend that studied in your university. I would like you to work on a case..."
"Just one more thing." he interrupted her, "Do you know... everything about me?"
"If you're referring to your past, then the answer is yes. I know everything." she replied and gave him a warm smile, "That's the main reason that made me choose you for helping me. We have many things in common."
Ryu stared at her. What did she mean?
"All right, what would you want me to do, Miyano-san?"
"I will explain you everything but, please, don't interrupt me. I don't have much time."
He nodded and listened carefully.
Akemi talked about the existence of a large underground criminal organisation. She didn't know much of its activities because she was just a simple field agent and not too deep in it but she knew that they were involved in all kinds of crimes. Thefts, receiving of stolen properties, corruption, murders.. The list was everlasting. Their only sign of recognition was the colour of their clothing.
Black.
When he heard this, Ryu felt a chill go through him. The image of a man with a gun flashed in his mind. A man clad from head to feet in..
Black clothes...
They began to talk animatedly. Ryu wanted to know how she got involved. Akemi told him that her father had been a scientist working for them and her mother was involved, too. They had both died years ago when she was a child. Fortunately, in their will, they had entrusted her in care of a friend that wasn't too deep into the organisation. Unfortunately, the will had been written many years before her sister's birth and it didn't save her from their clutches. Akemi could see her only a few times a year becasue they had sent abroad to study and she couldn't stand it anymore.
"Kazama-kun, I don't care if you arrest me for being a criminal or if something happens to me but, please, promise me that you will help me save my younger sister." she pleaded him, "It's not fair that I can live a normal life while she can't. She doesn't deserve to live in that hell. She's about your age but she doesn't live like a normal young girl. She's only forced to work for them and do what they demand." Ryu could see despair in her eyes. "I know that it will be dangerous but..
Please, help me get her out of there."
Ryu stared at her. The pain and sorrow in her voice were genuine. She really wanted to help.. no.. save her sister at any cost. He understood very well how she felt.
"Miyano-san, I give you my word that I'll do anything to help you save your sister and bring the Black Organisation down." he said, smiling reassuringly. "Trust me. I will help you."
-:-
"That was the first and last time I ever saw Miyano-san." Ryu remarked, "She told me that it would have been hard, if not impossible, to meet each other since the men of the Organisation followed her constantly. She had managed to meet me only because she had made up an excuse, saying she had to meet an old school friend. In fact, she never contacted me after that day. The only news I got about her was.. well.. of her death."
Ryu stopped and looked at Ai. The little girl was crying silently, tears rolling down her cheeks.
His eyes softened. He knew even too well what it meant to loose a sister and also what it meant to feel guilty for her death. Ryu got up and went to sit next to her, thinking of a way to soothe her pain even though he knew that it was impossible.
He watched the girl cry and was struck again by her resemblance to his younger sister. He gently stroked her head and then hugged her. He felt a sharp jolt at his heart when he did so. He behaved in the same way with Françoise whenever she woke up after a nightmare.
"Shh... it's all right" he whispered softly, "It's all right."
Ai was slightly shocked at the beginning but then she relaxed, appreciating his attempt to comfort her. When they broke the embrace a few minutes later, Ai looked up at Ryu and saw a familiar look in his eyes.
That tenderness reminded Ai of something, but what? It took her a couple of moments to figure out where she had seen it before.
It was the look Akemi had whenever she saw her. Those eyes full of brotherly tenderness.
'He said that I look a lot like his sister.' she thought, 'He reminds me of Akemi in many ways, too.'
Ryu looked at her.
"Listen, I know that I'm not the most suitable person to tell you this but I think that you should stop feeling guilty and forgive yourself." he said softly, "Your sister died trying to save but it's not your fault. She knew that it would have been dangerous but she didn't care because she cared for you more than for own self." He looked her straight in the eyes. "You can't torment yourself because she loved you. Think of it: you would have done the same for her."
Ai nodded. What he was saying was true but...
"Do you really believe your words?" she asked, "Have you forgiven yourself for not having saved your sister?"
"I would be hypocrite if I said yes." he answered softly, "I spent the past four years torturing my mind, cursing myself to have survived. That's the main reason that brought to my character changes and to my... acting."
Ai lowered her eyes.
'I knew that they were only words...' she thought.
"But.."
She looked up as he went on.
"But a friend managed to make me change idea and gave me a good reason to react."
"How?" she asked, curiously.
Ryu smiled slightly.
-:-
Ouside the room, the girl tensed slightly.
She remembered that night. Very well.
It was nearly midnight and the only light in the apartment was the table lamp.
Rei was working hard on her laptop. She was controlling if the disks that Ryu had brought her were working well. If one was damaged, he should have taken that determined information again.
She had to work quickly. Ryu couldn't be seen with her. They would have immediately killed him if they saw him with an FBI agent.
She had just finished to control the last set of files when she heard a soft whimper. Alarmed, she turned around and saw Ryu, who had fallen asleep on the couch, tossing and turning and muttering something in his sleep.
'He's having a nightmare.' she thought, getting up and going towards him.
"No.. Françoise.. I'm coming.. don't be scared.." he muttered desperately, "I..I will save.. No.. the fire.."
Rei shook him gently, trying to wake him up.
"Ryu, come on, wake up." she said, "Wake up."
He got up with a start, startling her in the process. Cold sweat wet his face and he was breathing heavily. He turned to his side and saw the girl.
"Rei?" he asked puzzlement. He seemed to be surprised to see her there.
"You had a bad dream." she stated with a bit concern, "Are you all right?"
"Yes, I'm fine." he replied shortly, getting up. "Have you finished with the floppy disks?"
Rei was slightly surprised Ryu had never been so cold.
"Yes, I've finished but... listen, are you really all right? You're pale and you look tired."
Ryu glanced at her and saw concern in her eyes. Somwthing inside him cringed: it hurt him to see people worry for him. It made him hate himself and his decision to never show his true feelings to anyone.
"Yes, I'm fine." he said, forcing a smile, "Don't worry."
"You can't fool me, Ryu." Rei was not going to give up, "Something is troubling you. You have changed from the day we found that files regarding your family."
He visibly tensed when she mentioned his family. He turned around.
"I don't want to talk about it." he said shortly, "If you're finished then I can go."
He went to the front door, ready to open it and just leave.
"You can't blame yourself for your sister's death."
"What?" He whipped around as she spoke.
"You were muttering your sister's name before." she remarked, "I understand how you feel but you can't feel guilty for all your life."
Ryu felt a surge of emotion rushing through his whole body. All the pain and anger that he had managed to hide for four years, had emerged in his mind and heart the day he read the files where his family's death had been described. He had been able to keep some control on himself for all these days but now Rei's words released something inside him.
"You understand how I feel?" he repeated slowly, walking towards her.
Rei noticed the look on his face.
'I'm sorry, Ryu, but it's the only way..' she thought, 'Go ahead.. Give release to everything..'
Ryu came closer to her. He wanted to vent his anger and pain on Rei. At that moment, he didn't care if she was his colleague, one of his best friends... and the one that he loved.
"You understand, right?" he asked coldly, "Do you know how it feels to see your younger sister scared to death that pleads you to help her.. but you don't do anything?"
"You couldn't do anything, Ryu." she retorted, "It's not your fau.."
"I SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING!" he snapped, shaking with fury. Rei actually took a step away from him. "I should have passed through that door, even if it was burning! I should have done something! I AM JUST A COWARD! Do you know what it means to hear your sister's screams every single night in your dreams?"
Rei didn't answer. She only listened to his outburst.
"WHY?WHY DID I SURVIVE?" he shouted, "I lost my family, my identity. Everything!
Look at me, I can't even be myself. I have to pretend to be another person. Ryuji Xanders... And now.. now, I'm working with my parents' murderers. Do you really understand how I feel?"
His question lingered in air but she still kept quiet. He smiled bitterly.
"Death is better than this damn life I'm living. I'm just a person without an identity. It would have been better if I had died four years ago.."
Despite his reflexes, Ryu didn't see Rei's sudden movement.
The last thing he saw was her arm's sudden move and before he knew what was happening, Ryu recoiled on the table. His hand reached for the burning spot on his face as he realised.
Rei had slapped him hard on the face.
The hit had managed to make him come back to sense again because he shook his head and looked up at her. He was startled to see tears on her face.
"Rei? What..?" The wordes died in his mouth as her stare silenced him.
"I had to do it. Don't say that, Ryu. You can't really desire death." she said softly."When my parents died I felt like you: guilty, angry and despaired but...But when the pain subsided, I realized I still had a reason to live."
"A reason?" he asked, "Which?"
"I must continue to live not only for myself but also for them. And it's the same for you. You can't want to die because it would kill your family again. The ones that love us never really leave us, Ryu. You can always find them. In here." Her hand reached to her heart. "Your father, your mother and your sister are still alive inside your heart and your soul. Live for them, Ryu. Live for them and for yourself."
Ryu didn't know what to say.
He just stared at the girl. Deep inside his heart, he knew that she was right but four years of suffering couldn't be easily forgotten. Tears were filling his eyes and he tried to force them back in.
Rei seemed to understand how he was feeling. She had faced the same problem years ago and hadn't come to a complete recover herself. She approached him and hugged him tightly. At this display of comprehension, Ryu just broke down. All the feelings hidden inside him came out through his tears. He had found someone to trust and he knew that he didn't have to pretend anymore in front of her
-:-
"After that day, I stopped torturing myself. I thought that if I had continued to do so, my family would have suffered with me too." Ryu explained, "I slowly began to live again. I stopped pretending every moment and began to be myself again. At least, I was myself with Rei."
Ai looked at Ryu and noticed the smile on his face.
'He likes her, too.' she mused.
"Only with her?" she asked.
"Er...well, with Matt and the Xanders too but.. yes, I am actually myself with her." he answered, "I know I can trust her because she has suffered like me. I can be totally sincere with her and she can do the same with me." He smiled embarrassedly. "She's very important for me. I don't know what I'd do without her."
Rei, who was behind the door with Conan, blushed deeply hearing his words.
It was true. Their relationship was special. They were more than simple colleagues, more than friends. Was it love? Neither would admit it to the other so, who knows?
"Listen, Haibar.. no.. Miyano.." Ryu stuttered.
"Call me, Ai." she interrupted with a smile.
"Ok, Ai. Listen, I hope you understood what I meant to tell you. Stop feeling guilty and start to live. I know it's hard: I still haven't managed to do it myself but you can try." He put a hand on her shoulder. "If you need help or comfort or if you only need to talk, you can come to me. Or Rei if you wish. I'm sure that she'll be glad to help you as much as I do. We understand how you feel and we can help each other."
Ai looked up in surprise: it was the first time that someone talked to her in this way. She nodded.
"Thank you, Ryu-nichan." she said but quickly corrected herself, "Sorry, I meant to say, Kazama."
But to her surprise, Ryu smiled.
"Don't worry. Call me like that if you want to." he said, "I don't mind."
"Really?"
"Yes.. I like it. You look so alike to Françoise that I feel as though I had my sister again."
"Well, I wouldn't mind having an elder brother."
The two blondes shared a look and smiled at each other.
"Ok, then it's decided... sis."
"Yes, it's decided, brother."
Rei smiled. She had been right to think that Ryu and Ai could have gone well together.
'It will help them both.' she thought.
"Shinichi, come on we have to go." she said, "We can't stay here. It would be rather hard to explain if they see us." She looked down at the boy but he wasn't even listening. His eyes were fixed on Ryu and Ai and she was surprised to see that he had a frown on his face.
'Now what's the matter with him?' she thought.
"Hey, little brother? Shinichi?"
"Huh?" He heard her this time and looked up at her.
"Come with me."
They both went to the hall. Suddenly, Rei bent down and brought her face right in front of Conan's. The boy blushed.
"R..Rei?" he stammered, "What are you doing?"
She looked at him straight in the eyes.
"Why were you frowning?" she asked.
"What? I was not frowning. You're wrong."
"No, I'm sure of that. You were frowning. Do you have something against Ryu?"
"What? No, no... He seems to be a good guy and I don't have anything against him. Really, I wouldn't mind making friends with him. I think we have many things in common."
"You do. You two have many things in common. Believe me. I know both very well." she remarked and frowned slightly. "Then why were you frowning? Don't you like the fact that Ai and Ryu can be friends? I think it would be a good thing for both. Look at us for example: we're not brother and sister but we behave as though we were and that's the special thing of our friendship. I think that if Ai and Ryu did the same, it could be very important for them. It could help them win their inner struggles. Am I right?"
Conan nodded. Rei was right. It would have helped them the same way it had helped her.
"So, will you please tell me why were you frowning while they were talking togeth...Wait a minute." She stopped, realizing what was going on. She looked at him with a small smile on her face. "Are you jealous?"
Conan turned red.
"What? No, why should I be jealous?" he said quickly. "Haibara can do what she wants."
He answered a bit too quickly and Rei noticed it.
"Ah, all right. I was only guessing." she said carelessly and the boy relaxed without realizing it. They stayed in silence for a while.
"Niichan, do you have a crush on Ai?" Rei asked suddenly.
This took Conan completely off guard. He just stared at Rei.
"WHAT?" he asked dumbfounded and turned a deep shade of red, "I can't fall in love with her."
That wasn't the answer Rei expected.
"Why not?" she asked, "She's our age. She's smart and pretty. Why.. couldn't you like her?"
Agase saved Conan from replying.
"Lunch is ready!" he called.
"We have to go." Conan said, heading to the door.
Rei smiled slightly at him.
"We'll talk about this another time." she said, letting him know that their discussion was far from being over. Conan sighed with relief without realizing it.
They left the hall and while they were heading to the kitchen, they met Ryu and Ai halfway. They both shot Rei a thankful smile and she smiled back.
Conan felt that strange twitch in the stomach again. Ai looked at him and he blushed when their eyes met. The girl raised an eyebrow but didn't say or do anything and went in the kitchen after Rei and Ryu.
Conan waited outside a moment as Rei's words came back to his mind.
'Oh God, am I really falling for Haibara?' he thought. Different feelings surged in his heart and he shook his head. He was getting confused.
'I'll think about it when I'm more calm and concentrated.' he thought and went inside the kitchen to have lunch with the others.
